Pachysandra

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Genus of flowering plants

title: "Pachysandra" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["buxaceae", "eudicot-genera", "groundcovers"] description: "Genus of flowering plants" topic_path: "general/buxaceae" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachysandra" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of flowering plants ::

| image = Pachysandra terminalis0.jpg | image_caption = Pachysandra terminalis | taxon = Pachysandra | authority = Michx. | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text

Pachysandra is a genus of five species of evergreen perennials or subshrubs, belonging to the boxwood family Buxaceae. The species are native to eastern Asia and southeast North America, some reaching a height of 20 -, with only weakly woody stems. The leaves are alternate, leathery, with a coarsely toothed margin, and are typically 5 - long. The small uni-sexual blooms are greenish-white and produced in late spring or early summer.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Variegated_Jade_among_Pachysandra.jpg" caption="Variegated Jade among ''Pachysandra''. ''Pachysandra'' is often used as a ground cover."] ::

Etymology

Pachysandra is derived from the Ancient Greek word παχύς (pachýs, 'thick') and the Neo-Latin -androus ('of or pertaining to stamens'), and is a reference to the thick stamens.

Species

Cultivation and uses

Pachysandra can grow in deep-shade areas and is thus well-suited and popular as ground cover for shade gardens. There are several varieties used in the garden landscape, all of which are deer-resistant:

  • The most commonly used species is P. terminalis, or Japanese spurge, which is an aggressively spreading evergreen ground cover.
  • 'Variegata' has leaves attractively variegated green and creamy white, with a slower growth/spreading rate as P. terminalis.
  • 'Green Sheen' Pachysandra has extra glossy dark green leaves and slowly spreads.
  • 'Green Carpet' Pachysandra has deeper semi glossed green leaves than the common P. Terminalis, with prominent veining, more toothed serrations to the leaf edge, and a shorter more compact growth habit.

All species in this genus prefer a well-drained soil with a high humus content.

References

References

  1. ''Sunset Western Garden Book'', 1995, pp.606–607.
  2. (2008). "RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants". Dorling Kindersley.
  3. Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN. 9780521866453 (hardback), {{ISBN. 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 63, 287
  4. {{Cite Merriam-Webster. pachysandra
  5. [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012660 2b. Pachysandra axillaris var. stylosa (Dunn) M. Cheng], ''Flora of China''
  6. [https://archive.today/20120730075458/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?8743 GRIN Species Records of Pachysandra], GRIN Taxonomy for Plants
  7. [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=123622 3. Pachysandra A. Michaux], ''Flora of China''
  8. "Pachysandra Terminalis Ground Cover".

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buxaceaeeudicot-generagroundcovers